Supporting robust research on adult emotional development by considering context
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 4, 2025

Psychophysiological Assessment of the Effectiveness of Emotion Regulation Strategies in Childhood
Published on: February 11, 2017
Tabea Springstein1, Claire M Growney1, Tammy English1
1Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Washington University in St. Louis.
Abstract:
A criterion for high quality science is to produce findings that are robust and replicable across studies. A potential hinderance to successful replication however is context dependency. To formally address issues of context dependency, context has to be defined and integrated into research and replication practices. Emotion research and particularly research on adult emotional development have long emphasized the importance of context. Drawing on established theories of adult development and existing frameworks of context, we define context as it relates to emotional development in adulthood, highlighting specific aspects of immediate surroundings (familiarity, cognitive demands, and social aspects) as well as sociocultural and socioeconomic context, situated within ontogenetic development and historical time. In order to improve the robustness of research on adult emotional development, we encourage researchers to consider these contextual aspects in formulating and testing research questions as well as when interpreting failed replications. We discuss how to adapt study designs to facilitate more context sensitive adult emotional development research. Considering context not only enables new discoveries in aging research, but also can help clarify significant long-standing research questions and further enhance the robustness of research on adult development in emotion. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
Related Concept Videos
Socioemotional Development during Infancy
Primary Temperament Types
Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development
Theory of Romantic Attachment in Adulthood
Impact of Social Context on Individuals
Empathy
Relationship with Other Adult Family Members and Siblings

